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This tiny U.S. state is the most chaotic place to drive, study says

Rhode Island came out on top

By Amanda Teague Jul 5, 2025 5:00 AM

cars in traffic — Pexels / Pixabay

Think your daily commute is bad? According to a new study, Rhode Island has officially been crowned the most chaotic place to drive in the U.S.

The team at eSpatial crunched the numbers using government data and real-time traffic insights, measuring every state across five key categories: traffic congestion, road satisfaction, pothole complaints, total road fatalities, and speeding-related deaths. After tallying it all up, tiny Rhode Island came out on top, or rather, the bottom, earning the title of America’s most stressful place to hit the road.

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It’s not entirely surprising. Providence, Rhode Island’s capital, was recently named one of the riskiest driving cities in Allstate’s 2025 America’s Best Drivers Report. Rhode Island ranked worst in the nation for road quality, with only about 63% of roads considered acceptable. It also had the second-highest rate of speeding-related fatalities and topped the charts for the most pothole-related search complaints.

Massachusetts came in a close second, ranking number one for traffic congestion with the worst Traffic Index score in the country. Hawaii, Maryland, and Connecticut rounded out the top five most chaotic states to drive in, proving that sometimes the most beautiful places aren’t always the easiest to navigate.

Where is the calmest place in the U.S. to drive?

If you’re looking for wide-open roads and a stress-free driving experience, Montana is your best bet. According to the study, Montana was named the calmest state to drive in the U.S.

With its low traffic index score of 86.27, very few congestion issues, and nearly 89% of roads rated acceptable, Montana offers drivers plenty of room to cruise without the constant stop-and-go frustration. The state also reported just 208 traffic fatalities last year, a relatively low number compared to more densely populated states, and had only 10 pothole-related Google searches in the past year, suggesting smoother roads and fewer driver headaches.

Amanda, an accomplished freelance writer from Columbus, Ohio, is a dedicated explorer of both the world and the written word… Read Full Bio

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